1. Field
Apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to an air-cooling electric apparatus, and, more particularly, to a dust collecting structure usable with an air-cooling electric apparatus that separates dust from air that is sucked therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
With recent developments, not only are techniques for basic functions of an electric apparatus evaluated but also techniques that allow the basic functions to be maintained and functioning for a long time are evaluated as main performance criterion of the electric apparatus.
In an air-cooling electric apparatus which cools an inner heat generating source using outside air, for maintaining functions of the electric apparatus for a long time, dust which is sucked into the electric apparatus must be removed. For removing dust from the sucked air, a conventional air-cooling electric apparatus generally uses a dust filter.
The dust filter is formed so that a filter member having a lot of fine holes or lattices is folded in many folds. Therefore, the sucked air passes through the fine holes or lattices and dust is filtered by the filter member. If the dust filter has been used for a long time, the fine holes or lattices are blocked by dust. Therefore, the electric apparatus that uses the dust filter is inconvenient to users because the dust filter must be regularly cleaned or replaced.
In an electric apparatus that is cooled by an air cooling method, if a dust filter having close holes or lattices is used to block dust from entering inside of the electric apparatus, it is difficult for cold outer air to flow into the inside of the electric apparatus. Accordingly, cooling performance of the electric apparatus may be decreased. On the contrary, if a dust filter having large holes or lattices is used, it is easy for the outer air to flow into the electric apparatus, thereby increasing the cooling performance. However, usage of the dust filter having large holes or lattices may reduce dust removing efficiency, thereby decreasing the performance of the electric apparatus.
Accordingly, a conventional air-cooling electric apparatus uses a dust filter having proper size holes to remove dust from air being sucked therein and is managed by regularly cleaning or replacing the dust filter.
However, because users do not properly manage the dust filter of the conventional air-cooling electric apparatus, the air-cooling electric apparatus is frequently broken down. Therefore, reliability of the electric apparatus is reduced and a cost thereof is increased.
Accordingly, a dust collecting structure is needed which does not use the dust filter but can collect dust.